1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to containers for flowable materials that may be in solid or liquid form.
2. Background Art
Containers are used worldwide to store and transport a wide range of flowable materials. The nature of the materials ranges from edible products, to chemical products, to waste. The capacity of these containers likewise covers a wide range from potentially just a few ounces, or less, to as much as thousands of gallons, or more.
For any given product, containers with a range of different capacities may have to be kept on hand and available to meet individual demands. For example, a facility distributing a liquid fuel may have call for quantities ranging from a gallon or less to multiples of gallons. In a high volume operation, an operator may have to keep on hand potentially dozens of different containers, each with a fixed volume capacity.
Fixed configuration containers for bulk materials take up significant space and are cumbersome and expensive to handle and transport. Often for a single fill, a container of this type will be handled at least three times: a) first by a manufacturer of the container in delivering the same to a distributor; b) second by a customer using the contents; and c) third by the customer in returning the container, once the contents thereof is exhausted, to either the distributor or another location. The last handling step can be avoided by destroying the container after one or more uses, which has a detrimental environmental impact. Shipping and handling, associated with the first and third handling steps, is potentially expensive for large containers.
Storage of these containers, as at a distribution location, also presents a problem. Operators of distribution centers may be required to keep on hand a range of container sizes in quantities that are determined based upon historical data and rough estimates. The containers of different capacity must be separately stored to be retrieved as needed. Excess quantities of containers of one capacity may take up valuable space for long periods of time. Failure to have on hand a required quantity of another capacity container may necessitate improvisation, whereby either multiple smaller containers are used to cumulatively provide the desired volume, or a larger container than required is used but not filled to capacity. Either of these scenarios potentially represents waste and economic loss.
Ideally, there would be greater flexibility in container systems and their handling that would avoid the above problems.